A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly abusing a cat in Block 884 Tampines Street 83, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said on Wednesday (Jun 1).

According to the Cat Welfare Society, a grey cat was found dead at the block last week with blood oozing from its mouth. The cat had been slammed on the ground twice and burned with a lighter by a man who looked to be in his 20s, it said, citing Tampines resident Jaslynn Ong.

AVA said its officers collected the cat carcass for a post-mortem examination. With the assistance of the police, the identity of the suspect was established and he was arrested along Tampines Street 84 on Tuesday at about 1.30am.

“AVA looks into all public feedback on animal cruelty and will take the necessary enforcement actions against those who have committed acts of animal cruelty. However, safeguarding animal welfare is a shared social responsibility which requires the cooperation of all stakeholders, including the public,” it said.

Mr Joshua Teoh, deputy director of AVA’s Animal Management Group, said that the Tampines incident is a case in point. “Members of the public approached us during our surveillance to share information on the suspect. We are heartened by their civic-mindedness. The information provided helped us to establish the identity of the suspect quickly,” he said.

Under the Animals and Birds Act, first-time offenders found guilty of animal cruelty can be fined up to S$15,000, jailed up to 18 months, or both. For subsequent offences, the maximum fine is S$30,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both.